This game, my friends, is the one LOTR game to rule them all. Seriously. This is the game I have been waiting for, thinking would likely never get made. Shore's music, the actors' voices and yells, the sound effects, the expanse of Middle Earth open to roam freely...it's all there. Right now, I'm only just approaching the Caradhras level (taking it extremely slowly to soak everything in). There have been so many awesome little moments that have made me yell out "YES!" at my television; I just thought I'd share a few of them. Feel free to add your own. (somewhat spoiler-y I guess)

Being able to climb Mt Doom as Isildur with Elrond as part of the prologue

Gandalf losing his temper and smashing Bilbo's light fixture in a cut scene

Tom Bombadil as a playable character!!

The fact that swords have their proper names, like Arwen's ( labeled Hadhafang) and Merry's ("Barrow blade")

The inclusion of the Midgewater Marshes, the Stone Trolls, and the Troll hoard!

Duel with Saruman and the "sliding" sound effect if you get knocked across the floor of Orthanc

Lighting Ringwraiths on fire

Saruman whacking the moth with his staff XD

Crebain flying overhead as you leave Rivendell

And that's only the beginning I'm sure!

In short, I can't recommend this game highly enough. The people who made it did their homework, and what we're presented with is something children can enjoy, though the true target demographic is all of us diehard Tolkien fans.

I'll leave you with a small, darkly humorous anecdote: The fellowship was formed. As the 9 of us were leaving Rivendell, I had the party stop on a high bridge. I switched to Gandalf, walked over to Frodo, and whacked him with my staff. Frodo fell off the bridge, plummeted 50 feet into the river below, and drowned to death. So much for the Ringbearer and his quest! XD My Gollum Impersonation (+ Others): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy-HKEWmrpQ

The UK release has yet again been postponed 'till Nov 30, at least for the Wii version, which is why I'm curious to know! "Radagast is, of course, a worthy wizard, a master of shapes and changes of hue, and he has much lore of herbs and beasts, and birds are especially his friends."-Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings.

Favourite game ever! I just am rowing down the anduin Now after getting my gear from lady galadriel. (elven bow for legolas, elven cloak for aragorn, and more I'm not gonna spoil, though you probably already know from the movies. I got it yesterday( with and elrond minifigure and the 3 DLC content packs. It is addicting. I would like to add a few things to your list that you didn't mention: Spoiler alert, but you've probably already gotten to this part by the time you read this

inclusion of extended scenes- giving of the gifts in lorien is one radaghast the brown as a playable character as well as madril and mouth of sauron as playable characters

As for tom bombadils house, I accidently stumbled across it while wandering around(it is just outside the old forest, north-east from Bree) an it is a quiet little corner with two houses and is a piece of paradise. It has a bridge leading from his area over a river into the old forest. I found this wonderful home, and then bam! Out walks Tom bombadil!! I haven't bought him yet though. Quick question, but where exactly in the trollshaws is the stone trolls cave(and stash!)? And do you have ps3, because if so, I'll add you!

Pushbrooms and bananas, too... My kids and I played it all weekend in our spare time. Everyone is enjoying it. I already want to go back and redo some areas we blew through (the kids tend to be less thorough explorers than I), especially the Shire. NAArP: Not An Ardent purist since Arda was dented

There are a ton of fairly easy to get mithril bricks there, and a blacksmith plan, and LOTS of quests. You can even go to the prancing pony inn and have a drink. One mithril brick that I discovered that alot of people missed is the one in the towns graveyard. Dig up each grave (with either Sam or Tom bombadil or any charachter who has the mithril spade in their inventory; most people do) and build the bone piles and you will get a mithril brick.